Battery-clamp terminal



- March 3, 1931. I R WARD 1,794,812

BATTERY CLAMP TERMINAL Filed Dec. 26, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BY @Wm March 3, 1931. R. B. WARD BATTERY CLAMP TERMINAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

INVEVNTOR' may 6. \DMA BY HNJQU HIS ATTORNEY March 3, 1931. R. B. WARD 1,794,812

BA'BTERY CLAMP TERMINAL Filed Dec; 26, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet s WETBZ H/S ATTORNEY NITED ST TES:

Patented Mar. 3, 1931 7 .1 I E 1,7a4,812 I R LrHB; ARD. onLosANGEnEs, CALIFORNIA T Q j Bar'rEBY cLAMr ERMINAL Applicatioir filed December- 26.19 282." seri'alnNo; 328,470;

This invention relates to battery clamp terminals, especially to that type of battery clamp terminals used in connection with storage batteries of automotive vehicles. This invention is particularly adapted for connection upon the grounded side of the ignition and lighting circuits of such. vehicles, in that it lends itself to ready connection between the vehicle frame and the negative post of such battery.

The object of this invention is to provide a battery clamp terminal which has embodied therein an electric circuit lead or connection which is adjustable relative to an instrumentality provided for securing it to a battery post. In its embodiment it consists of a contact member to engage a battery post and a clampto hold the contact member in engagement with such post. The clamp is provided with meansfor creating a frictional contact between .the .contact member and the battery post, and may be positioned upon the battery post in a position most convenient for its safe adjustment regardless of the position of the contact member within certain well defined limits.

To this endthis invention consists in certain novel features which will now be described, and later particularly pointed out in the claims. I V

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing in detail the two major members constituting the invention;

Fig. 41s a cross SBCtlOIl' taken on sectlon line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Fig. 5 is amodified form of the invention,

showing the contact member in detail and the clamp in outline;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a plan view of a modified form of contact member;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 illustrates the invention in use upon a storage battery.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

top, 16. of the memberv somewhat.v broader than the bottom in ends 11 of the I The invention in its entirety-may enema; as embodying; twov 1 major members, aiclarnp 1 and a .contact*member..2.1 The member 1 1s the clamping member .for Isecuring the contact. member 2 tothe. positive or negativepostof storageor other-type of. battery. 1 clamp .1. is .a' split ring,

PATENT oFiFIeE.

having afcurved or annularintermediate. 7

body portion 3. and parallelly; disposed end 1 v portions 4.; Theends. 4 are provided. each withahole: 5. for the insertion of a bolt. 6,

which bolt is providedwith a nut? threaded thereto H Extending through the curved. portion of the clamp 1,

intermediate the top 8 and the bottom 9 thereof, and" spaced from the. ends 4,. there. 1s provided an elongatedopening or slot 10, the-ends of." which, 1,1,.are indie 'catedfby the dotted l-ines=,l2.in.Figures. l

and The purpose of this slotwill .beah'ereafter described.

' Theswcontaot. member 2, comprises-.an. annular or split, ring member. having a. shank 1 13 formed integrally therewith. The, mam ber 2 isi clasped bythe clamp 1, so that the.

outer walll l of the contact member abuts theinner wall 15fof the cla1np ,.the shank 13' being so 'formed that. it extends throughtheslot. 10 asis shown inlFigure 2. The

2 maybe constructed.

order to. provide a tapered inner :wall 18'.- Thetapering ofthe inner wall is necessary.

to. provide contact with the usual type: of tapered. battery posts. r

The shank 153? pro ects from the contact.

member 2 at a re'gion 1nter1nediate.the spaced.

ends; 19; thereof, and is fspaced between the top 16 and the bottom 17. The shankis providedwith'upper. and lower parallel surfaces. 20 andQL- respectively, which permit it to.

- move freely within theslot 10. Theshank' en gage: the,

Electriecircuit, connections are roe - terior space, as is indicated by the dotted out.-

lines 27 for the insertion of the. end oraconductor cable.

Yet another embodiment is'-- sh0Wn'- in Figures 7 and 8,.wherein the shank 13Bis provided with acylindrical member28 extending transversely thereof. The member 28 has an interior space 29 open from end to end thereby allowing the insertion of a conductor cable in either end'thereof. -Both shanks, 13A and 13B are provided 'with diagonal shoulders 30 for a purpose substane tially the same as the recessed edges 23.

The invention is used in the manner illustrated in Figure 9, wherein 31iis a fragmen tary representation of a storage battery, and 32 a post thereof.v This view shows the invention secured to the post 32, the contact member clasping the post, and the clamp 1 holding the member 2 in contact with the post. By drawing the ends 4 together by. means of the bolt'6 and the nut 7 the circumference of both members 1 and 2 are decreased thereby causing the member 1 to .shrink on member 2, and consequently member 2 to shrink on the post 32. v 7

In Figure 9, in addition to the full line, there is shown in outlines 33 and 34, the positions in which the shank 13 and'the strap 24 may be placed without moving the clamp 1 about the post 32. It will .be seen that'considerable movement to the right or left may begiven the shank and strap without the necessity of moving the clamp 1. "If the shank, strap and clamp were rigid to one another and were in the position shown in'out line 34, the nut 7 of the bolt 6 would be positioned immediately above the filler cap 35, which would necessitate great care in screwing up the nut 7 with a wrenchin order to avoid breaking the cap with possibly disastrous results.

Having describedthe invention, what is claimed is:, V i

1. In a battery clamp terminal, a clamp member constituting a split ring and means for drawing the ends of said ring together, a

clamp member constituting a splitring and means for drawing the ends of said ring together, a contact member clasped by said clamp, the outer wall of said contact member, constantly abutting the inner wall of said clamp, said contact member designed to frictionally clasp a battery post, there being an contact member clasped by said clamp memher, said contact member likewise being a split ring concentric with said clamp, said clamp having an elongated slot intermediate its ends, and a shank projecting radially. from said contact member and extending through the aforesaid slot; I 2. A battery clamp terminalcomprising af 

